Feature

Bringing the edge and cloud together

Data is at the heart of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Smart Manufacturing. By setting up suitable platforms to collect and analyse data, it is possible to gain in-depth, unique insights into manufacturing processes that can lead to their optimisation.

01/05/2020 15:58:21

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The most effective setup combines edge and cloud-based platforms to get the best of both worlds. Chris Evans, Marketing & Operations Group Manager at Mitsubishi Electric, looks at why the future of network infrastructure balances edge and
cloud capabilities.

Edge and cloud computing technologies might, on the surface, be seen by some as competing platforms. In fact, they are synergistic: by harnessing the strengths of both and by distributing the intelligent analysis appropriately, businesses can
maximise productivity, efficiency and reduce costs.

Machines and automated systems on the plant floor generate colossal volumes of time-critical data. This data needs to be analysed and processed in real time as, in the world of automated production,
the operating time base is in seconds, milliseconds or even microseconds. Edge technology operates in real-time and is able to perform data processing using Advanced Analytics (AA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and carry out predictive and preventative modelling.

Additionally, by processing this operational data at the edge, it is possible to reduce the number of data points that need to be processed in centralised, cloud-based locations, resulting in substantial cost savings.

Read the full article in the May issue of DPA

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.